Janitor's Closet

[couchgrouch]

Janitor's ClosetJoe'd walk up whistling...unclip his key ringand unlock the janitor's closetmopsink and styrofoam cups...wax n stuff for scrubbin' uphard lime depositsbut on the second shelf was a snapshot of himselfas a boy at Disneylandback in '64 outside the Matterhornholding his father's handit's funny how years slip awaybut their shadows surviveand what's in that closet is allhe has in this lifeJoe got out two years ago...got hired in that rest homejust to be near his dadthey'd had a falling out when Joe fell in with a bad crowdand robbed that Shell station in Grizzly Flatsand it's funny how years slip awaybut their shadows surviveand what's in that closet is allhe has in this lifeJoe'd set his broom outside a frail man's roomand sit with him at lunchtimehe'd talk soft n calm but that old man's mind was gonewith skin yellow as a wetfloor signthen one sad day that old man passed awayand Joe hadda get his room spic n spanin his bedside drawer was a picture of the Matterhornand Joe and his dad at Disneylandhe stood there and cried and when his tears had driedhe washed his face in the mopsink faucetset the photo of father n son next to the other onein that janitor's closetit's funny how years slip awaybut their shadows surviveand what's in that closet is allhe has in this life(c)2006 Robert George